Lessons In the Mist - The search for technologies that can make a difference

I've been reviewing projects discussed by SeriousGames and played the [[New York Preservation Commission game|http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/issueoftheweek/20051003/200/1604]]. In it the player is presented with building preservation decisions to make based on facts presented, then when the final decision is made, the player is presented with a "What Really Happened" discussion. This scenario could be quite useful in the design of a game about Roman politics or court cases.\n\nI also liked part of the game where it gives you pictures of buildings that used to exist in New York and you were asked to match them with pictures of the buildings they were replaced with. This module was presented to get you in the mindset before you were elected to the commission. Another module let you match building details with the name of the building from which they came. It, too, made an effective exercise to increase your awareness of architectural details.\n\nAnother interesting game in development is, "A Force More Powerful", a collaboration of a commercial game developer, [[Breakaway Games|http://www.breakawaygames.com/index.html]], and the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict.\n\n"It's a totally different style of teaching ... it's 'learn by doing,' " says Steve York, the senior producer at York-Zimmerman Inc., a documentary film company in Washington, D.C. Together with the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict (ICNC) and Breakaway Games Ltd., a video gamemaker, his company is producing "A Force More Powerful," in which players use peaceful means to unseat a dictator in 10 fictitious scenarios. The game will be released in February."

Today I reviewed an award-winning simulation designed to explore the [[professional ethics|http://www.zap.ca/casestudy1.htm]] of farm financial consultants. The simulation was produced with ZapDramatic. ZapDramatic appears to be quite similar to the online action maze aspects of [[Quandary]].\n\nThe University of Windsor has set up a subscription model for individuals who wish to access their "dramas" online\n\n One month unlimited use US $5.00\n3 month unlimited use US $12.00\nI year unlimited use US $39.00 \n\nThey also offer their dramas for installation on your own site for $99 each.\n\nTheir dramas cover everything from negotiating a raise to telling someone their fired. They even have an ongoing murder mystery with episodes involving interrogating a suspect, defending an accused party, and even acting as a marriage counselor.

HelloThere

Here's one way to get a Flickr badge in TiddlyWiki:\n\n<html>\n<a href="http://www.flickr.com" style="text-align:center;">www.<strong style="color:#3993ff">flick<span style="color:#ff1c92">r</span></strong>.com</a><br>\n<iframe style="background-color:#ffffff; border-color:#ffffff; border:none;" width="113" height="151" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/badge/badge_iframe.gne?zg_bg_color=ffffff&zg_person_id=44124324682%40N01" title="Flickr Badge"></iframe>\n</html>\n\nHere's the HTML code to insert in a tiddler:\n{{{\n<html>\n<a href="http://www.flickr.com" style="text-align:center;">www.<strong style="color:#3993ff">flick<span style="color:#ff1c92">r</span></strong>.com</a><br>\n<iframe style="background-color:#ffffff; border-color:#ffffff; border:none;" width="113" height="151" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/badge/badge_iframe.gne?zg_bg_color=ffffff&zg_person_id=44124324682%40N01" title="Flickr Badge"></iframe>\n</html>\n}}}\n\nYou'll need to know your Flickr person ID, which should replace the value "44124324682%40N01" in the HTML. There's a useful [[Flickr idGettr|http://eightface.com/code/idgettr/]] to help with this.

This is my first effort at creating a non-linear journal using TiddlyWiki. I am a network and information systems developer who is always on the lookout for innovative technologies to enhance learning in an educational environment. I learned about TiddlyWiki from a fellow developer of online learning exercises using HotPotatoes.

The Hot Potatoes software suite includes six applications, enabling you to create interactive multiple-choice, short-answer, jumbled-sentence, crossword, matching/ordering and gap-fill exercises for the World Wide Web. Hot Potatoes is not freeware, but it is free of charge for those working for publicly-funded non-profit-making educational institutions, who make their pages available on the web. Other users must pay for a licence.\n\nMy first HotPotatoes activity was a <html><a href="http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/%7Emharrsch/romanwonders5.shtml">Hadrian crossword puzzle</a></html> about the life and times of the [[Roman Emperor Hadrian]].

[img[Mary|http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~mharrsch/Maryasromeoctavia2ss.jpg]]\n(my Roman personae)\n\nHelloThere\nTiddlyWiki\n[[RSS|RssFeed]]\n[[Mary's Home Page|http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~mharrsch]]\n[[Technology Times and Trials|http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~mharrsch/techtimes.html]]\n[[About Me|http://www.blogger.com/profile/989191]]\n\n<html>\n<a href="http://www.flickr.com" style="text-align:center;">www.<strong style="color:#3993ff">flick<span style="color:#ff1c92">r</span></strong>.com</a><br>\n<iframe style="background-color:#ffffff; border-color:#ffffff; border:none;" width="113" height="151" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/badge/badge_iframe.gne?zg_bg_color=ffffff&zg_person_id=44124324682%40N01" title="Flickr Badge"></iframe>\n</html>\n\n\n\n[[Rome|http://www.hbo.com/rome]] costume courtesy of HBO/BBC productions\n© [[osmosoft|http://www.osmosoft.com]] 2006

My name is Mary Harrsch. I presently manage the network systems for the College of Education at the University of Oregon.

There are a number of collections of [[Macros]], stylesheets and plugins that have been made available by independent TiddlyWikiHackers too:\n* BidiX's [[BidiXTW|http://www.bidix.info/TiddlyWiki/BidiXTW.html]]\n* UdoBorkowski's [[abegoExtensions|http://tiddlywiki.abego-software.de/]]\n* FrankDellaert's [[software collection|http://www.cc.gatech.edu/~dellaert/#Software]]\n* DevonJones' [[TiddlyForge|http://www.tiddlyforge.net]]\n* DanHaley's [[KeeperWiki|http://www.bigwhitesatellite.com]]\n* PaulPetterson's [[Paul's Notepad|http://thepettersons.org/PaulsNotepad.html]]\n* DanielBaird's [[Tiddly W;nks|http://danielbaird.com/tiddlywinks/]]\n* one_each's [[TiddlyWiki bits|http://webpages.charter.net/one_each/]]\n* ClintChecketts' [[TiddlerWiki|http://checketts.objectis.net/wiki/]]\n* EricShulman's ELS Design site, at http://www.elsdesign.com/tiddlywiki/\n* SteveRumsby's YetAnotherTiddlyWikiAdaptation at http://www.rumsby.org/yatwa/\n* SimonBaird's MonkeyPirateTiddlyWiki at http://simonbaird.com/mptw/\n* AlanHecht's TiddlyWikiExtensions at http://www.personal.psu.edu/staff/a/c/ach12/tiddlywiki/extensions.htm\n* zRenard's TiddlyWiki StyleSheetRepository at http://www.zrenard.com/tiddlywiki/stylesrepository.php

Quandary is an application for creating Web-based Action Mazes. An Action Maze is a kind of interactive case-study; the user is presented with a situation, and a number of choices as to a course of action to deal with it. On choosing one of the options, the resulting situation is then presented, again with a set of options. Working through this branching tree is like negotiating a maze, hence the name "Action Maze".\n\nAction mazes can be used for many purposes, including problem-solving, diagnosis, procedural training, and surveys/questionnaires. It is produced by the same developers who created HotPotatoes.

The Roman Emperor Traianus Hadrianus Augustus was a skilled architect and competent military commander. I think he has not gained the recognition he deserves because he openly loved a Bithynian youth named Antinous. Many members of current religions are not accepting of individuals who engage in same sex relationships and they extend this intolerance into their view of people from the ancient past. This is further complicated by the fact that Hadrian deified Antinous and Antinous religious cults sprang up all over the Empire in competition with another new religion trying to gain converts at the time, Christianity.\n

"The [[Serious Games Initiative|http://www.seriousgames.org]] is focused on uses for games in exploring management and leadership challenges facing the public sector. Part of its overall charter is to help forge productive links between the electronic game industry and projects involving the use of games in education, training, health, and public policy."

/***\nThis CSS by DaveBirss.\n***/\n/*{{{*/\n\n.tabSelected {\n background: #fff;\n}\n\n.tabUnselected {\n background: #eee;\n}\n\n#sidebar {\n color: #000;\n}\n\n#sidebarOptions {\n background: #fff;\n}\n\n#sidebarOptions .button {\n color: #999;\n}\n\n#sidebarOptions .button:hover {\n color: #000;\n background: #fff;\n border-color:white;\n}\n\n#sidebarOptions .button:active {\n color: #000;\n background: #fff;\n}\n\n#sidebarOptions .sliderPanel {\n background: transparent;\n}\n\n#sidebarOptions .sliderPanel A {\n color: #999;\n}\n\n#sidebarOptions .sliderPanel A:hover {\n color: #000;\n background: #fff;\n}\n\n#sidebarOptions .sliderPanel A:active {\n color: #000;\n background: #fff;\n}\n\n.sidebarSubHeading {\n color: #000;\n}\n\n#sidebarTabs {`\n background: #fff\n}\n\n#sidebarTabs .tabSelected {\n color: #000;\n background: #fff;\n border-top: solid 1px #ccc;\n border-left: solid 1px #ccc;\n border-right: solid 1px #ccc;\n border-bottom: none;\n}\n\n#sidebarTabs .tabUnselected {\n color: #999;\n background: #eee;\n border-top: solid 1px #ccc;\n border-left: solid 1px #ccc;\n border-right: solid 1px #ccc;\n border-bottom: none;\n}\n\n#sidebarTabs .tabContents {\n background: #fff;\n}\n\n\n#sidebarTabs .txtMoreTab .tabSelected {\n background: #fff;\n}\n\n#sidebarTabs .txtMoreTab .tabUnselected {\n background: #eee;\n}\n\n#sidebarTabs .txtMoreTab .tabContents {\n background: #fff;\n}\n\n#sidebarTabs .tabContents .tiddlyLink {\n color: #999;\n}\n\n#sidebarTabs .tabContents .tiddlyLink:hover {\n background: #fff;\n color: #000;\n}\n\n#sidebarTabs .tabContents {\n color: #000;\n}\n\n#sidebarTabs .button {\n color: #666;\n}\n\n#sidebarTabs .tabContents .button:hover {\n color: #000;\n background: #fff;\n}\n\n/*}}}*/

The search for technologies that can make a difference

Lessons In the Mist

http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~mharrsch/Marytiddler.html

/* these two are important cosmetic fixes. suggested to be included in future TW... */\n.viewer .listTitle { list-style-type:none; margin-left:-2em; }\n.editorFooter .button { padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom:0px; }\n\n\n/* just my personal tweaks */\nbody {background:#eee; }\n.header{background-image: url('http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~mharrsch/Gaiustreesinfogwtext.jpg')\n}\n.headerForeground a { color: #6fc;}\n.headerShadow { left: 2px; top: 2px; }\n.siteSubtitle { padding-left:1.5em; }\nh1,h2,h3,h4,h5 { color: #000; background: transparent; }\n.title {color:black; font-size:2em;}\n.shadow .title {color:#999; }\n.viewer pre { background-color:#f8f8ff; border-color:#ddf}\n#sidebarOptions { border:1px #ccc solid; }\n.tiddler {\n border-bottom:1px solid #ccc; border-right:1px solid #ccc; margin-bottom:1em; \n background:#fff; padding-right:1.5em;\n}\n[[SideBarWhiteAndGrey]]\n\n/***\nThis CSS by DaveBirss.\n***/\n/*{{{*/\n\n.tabSelected {\n background: #fff;\n}\n\n.tabUnselected {\n background: #eee;\n}\n\n#sidebar {\n color: #000;\n}\n\n#sidebarOptions {\n background: #fff;\n}\n\n#sidebarOptions .button {\n color: #999;\n}\n\n#sidebarOptions .button:hover {\n color: #000;\n background: #fff;\n border-color:white;\n}\n\n#sidebarOptions .button:active {\n color: #000;\n background: #fff;\n}\n\n#sidebarOptions .sliderPanel {\n background: transparent;\n}\n\n#sidebarOptions .sliderPanel A {\n color: #999;\n}\n\n#sidebarOptions .sliderPanel A:hover {\n color: #000;\n background: #fff;\n}\n\n#sidebarOptions .sliderPanel A:active {\n color: #000;\n background: #fff;\n}\n\n.sidebarSubHeading {\n color: #000;\n}\n\n#sidebarTabs {`\n background: #fff\n}\n\n#sidebarTabs .tabSelected {\n color: #000;\n background: #fff;\n border-top: solid 1px #ccc;\n border-left: solid 1px #ccc;\n border-right: solid 1px #ccc;\n border-bottom: none;\n}\n\n#sidebarTabs .tabUnselected {\n color: #999;\n background: #eee;\n border-top: solid 1px #ccc;\n border-left: solid 1px #ccc;\n border-right: solid 1px #ccc;\n border-bottom: none;\n}\n\n#sidebarTabs .tabContents {\n background: #fff;\n}\n\n\n#sidebarTabs .txtMoreTab .tabSelected {\n background: #fff;\n}\n\n#sidebarTabs .txtMoreTab .tabUnselected {\n background: #eee;\n}\n\n#sidebarTabs .txtMoreTab .tabContents {\n background: #fff;\n}\n\n#sidebarTabs .tabContents .tiddlyLink {\n color: #999;\n}\n\n#sidebarTabs .tabContents .tiddlyLink:hover {\n background: #fff;\n color: #000;\n}\n\n#sidebarTabs .tabContents {\n color: #000;\n}\n\n#sidebarTabs .button {\n color: #666;\n}\n\n#sidebarTabs .tabContents .button:hover {\n color: #000;\n background: #fff;\n}\n\n/*}}}*/

"A TiddlyWiki is like a blog because it's divided up into neat little chunks, but it encourages you to read it by hyperlinking rather than sequentially: if you like, a non-linear blog analogue that binds the individual microcontent items into a cohesive whole." - Jeremy Ruston\n\nThat's the developer's official line! Jeremy points out that it is easier for people to remember things better if the information is presented in little bites. That is why advertisers use sound "bites" instead of a long narrative when they want you to remember their products.\n\nI think the TiddlyWiki concept would be even more valuable if it is used by educators to create adaptive learning materials for classes composed of students with a broad range of learning experiences. With its internal hyperlinks, a Tiddly Wiki provides an environment that allows knowledgable students to forge ahead while allowing students who require more background material to drill down to obtain a comprehensive overview of key concepts.\n\nThe "tiddler", as the microcontent object is called, could be as simple as a word definition or as complex as a multilayered secondary article complete with inline images and animation. \n\nTiddlyWiki's features are further extended by the use of [[Plugins]].

[[Zapdramatic|http://www.zap.ca/getzap.htm]] creates interactive flash simulations that can be used very effectively in on-line learning applications such as:\n\n * Negotiation\n * Front-line client relationship training.\n * How to deal with difficult people.\n * How to deal with difficult conversations.\n * How to recognize and deal effectively with ethical traps. (See case study)\n\nThey recently completed an 8 module on-line negotiation course which is certified by the University of Windsor, Faculty of Law.\n\nThe real value of a Zap drama learning object is that it transforms the Learner from a passive state of reception of information from page or classroom into a decision-making state in which the learner's decisions have definite consequences. The learner develops a deeper understanding of the situation by having the freedom to make the wrong decisions first and observe through the drama why the decisions were wrong and then correct the strategy on subsequent attempts. The overall effect is to give the learner a safe virtual learning experience which will not only provide him/her with knowledge and skills but also a little wisdom.